He figured the school's football team would make its typical deep run into the playoffs, so with much of his varsity roster on the gridiron, he waited until Thursday and the first round of the Phoenix Invitational.

Cascade Christian, with nine players on the roster who helped the football team to the state title game, opened with a 59-43 defeat of Klamath Union. The Challengers face Crater at 5:30 p.m. today.

Morse gave the football players a week off. They started practice Friday.

"We're a little sloppy right now, but we'll get better," he said.

Cascade Christian advanced to the state basketball tournament last year but it is made up mostly of juniors and sophomores. However, there's no shortage of talent or height.

After a first half in which Klamath Union rallied to tie it, 24-24, at intermission, the Challengers pulled away with a 17-4 third-quarter blitz.

"We had a little trouble attacking in the first half," Morse said of the Pelicans' 3-2 zone defense. "We made some adjustments in the second half and really started getting the ball inside to our posts."

David Sellers, a 6-foot-7 junior, scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half. Senior guard Alex Miller had a terrific all-around game with 13 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.

The Challengers, who also have 6-5 Seth Knox in the middle, outrebounded KU by seven in the second half and 40-32 for the game.

"We held them to one shot and crashed the boards a lot better" in the second half, said Morse.

CRATER 59, SOUTH UMPQUA 47 — At Phoenix, Connor Lane had 11 points and nine rebounds and Race Reiter nine points and seven boards as Crater advanced to the semifinals of the Phoenix Invitational.

The Comets (1-3), who play Cascade Christian at 5:30 p.m. today, outscored South Umpqua 39-26 in the second half. Cody Dismukes led the second-half charge, scoring all 10 of his points after intermission while also contributing six rebounds, three assists and two blocks.

Eric Johnson scored 13 points, all in the first half, to pace South Umpqua (4-3).

FRANKLIN 47, SOUTH MEDFORD 46 — At Red Bluff, Calif., Jesse Mondry scored 20 points and pulled down five rebounds but South Medford's comeback attempt fell short in the first round of the Red Bluff Holiday Classic.

South's Mark Winans hit two free throws with 10 seconds to go to pull the Panthers (2-2) within two, but Franklin's Victor Rustin answered with two free throws with four seconds left to put the game out of reach. Mondry drained a 3 at the buzzer for the final score.

Tristian Lallo added six points and eight rebounds, and Adrian Garcia six assists for the Panthers, who will face Pleasant Valley from Chico, Calif., this afternoon.

Franklin of Elk Grove, Calif., was led by Angelo Bell-Lytell and Benson Osayande, who scored 10 points apiece.

ROGUE VALLEY ADVENTIST 51, HOSANNA CHRISTIAN 44 — At Klamath Falls, Caleb Allen had 24 points and 11 rebounds and also stepped up defensively as Rogue Valley Adventist remained undefeated in its Mountain Valley League opener despite using only five players for the second game in a row.